Prince Andrew's annual golf tournament has been axed and it could be for good. The Duke of York Young Champions Trophy, which takes place every September, is no longer happening and it is not because of the coronavirus.
According to Daily Mail, the golf tournament has been canceled in light of Prince Andrew's links to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender. It was organized by the Duke of York Development, which has stopped its operations.
"It's terribly sad because it combined two of his great passions, golf and encouraging young people,' a friend of Prince Andrew shared.
The golf tournament, which has been launched in 2001, was an opportunity for talented young golfers to play among the best courses in the U.K. Swedish golf star Anna Nordqvist and today's top golfer Ulsterman Rory McIlroy got their start playing at this tournament.
Since stepping down from his royal role in November 2019 due to the backlash of his BBC interview about Epstein, Prince Andrew has not been making public appearances. He was recently in the news, however, when he appeared in an Instagram post where he's preparing care packages for the frontliners amid this coronavirus pandemic.
Critics of the Duke of York said that this was a cheap PR stunt to fix his soiled reputation. Some believe that Prince Andrew is guilty of taking advantage of young women, who were Epstein's victims.
Meanwhile, amid his controversial sex scandal, Prince Andrew's daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, as well as ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, continue to facilitate projects for healthcare workers and people in quarantine.
Recently, Princess Eugenie indulged parents who are staying at home with their kids by reading bedtime stories on her mother's YouTube channel. The York royal read "Guess How Much I Love You," by Sam McBratney while she sat under a swing bearing her name at her parents' house.
Princess Eugenie has been staying in isolation at the Royal Lodge with her mom, dad and husband Jack Brooksbank. She is also helping out her mother prepare and distribute care packages for the frontliners.
Princess Beatrice, on the other hand, released a video for the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity, where she is the patron. She said that the charity remains open despite the lockdown and encouraged those who need help with learning to use its online facilities, where specialists are on standby.
The eldest of Prince Andrew's children is supposed to get married on May 29. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the royal wedding has been pushed back.
